[Intermission] The Headmaster’s Plan
"So that's the heir of the Gallard family... I see. He certainly has sharp instincts."
After sending off Lake Gallard and Tricia Heartland, I reflected on our conversation.
He bears a strong resemblance to his father—Roberto Gallard, the current head of the Gallard Company.
On the surface, Roberto is known as one of the continent's top merchants, expanding into various businesses and achieving success after success.
However, behind the scenes, he undertakes top-secret missions assigned by the nation under the guise of special operations.
One such mission involves dealing with criminals who exploit loopholes in the law—using similar underhanded methods to punish them.
An eye for an eye.
A simple and straightforward approach to maintaining order.
However, given the nature of this work, he has likely kept his son, Lake, in the dark about it.
There's no doubt that Lake is highly capable.
Both the Craig Beckart incident and the Walton Mertzalo case were issues that the academy had already begun handling in secret, as they needed to be dealt with eventually.
Yet, as if mocking those efforts, he resolved both matters in a remarkably short time.
Given his merchant background, expelling individuals from the Knight and noble families from the academy would naturally put him at a disadvantage in future business dealings.
However, he showed no hesitation and executed his plan flawlessly.
Now, Lake Gallard's reputation within the academy is soaring.
Did he foresee this outcome from the beginning? Or did he maneuver things behind the scenes to ensure it played out this way?
Regardless, his talent as a merchant surpasses that of any previous Gallard heir who attended this academy.
—Which is precisely why I must handle him with utmost caution.
That vacation will serve as a test to assess his true value.
"I hope he turns out to be a hidden gem."
Narrowing my eyes, I shifted my gaze to the three sheets of paper on my desk.
Each one details the profile of a particular student.
These three students are the heirs of the academy’s three great noble families.
I already know Tricia Heartland, the Student Council President, quite well. She takes after her father.
Honest, intolerant of injustice. Believes in the power of brute strength.
One might assume her brain is nothing but muscle, yet she also has a surprising knack for strategy.
She's a perfect replica of her father.
As for the other two... I honestly find them difficult to assess.
Regardless, during the vacation, Lake Gallard will inevitably come face-to-face with one of the two remaining noble heirs he has yet to interact with.
I'm looking forward to seeing how he responds in that situation.
Now, I just need someone to observe the encounter on my behalf, as I won't be able to go in person.
"Anna, come here."
"You called for me?"
The moment I spoke, a female student emerged from the depths of the room.
She had actually been hiding in the Headmaster’s office the entire time Lake and Tricia were here, yet neither of them had noticed her presence.
"You heard everything, I assume?"
"From start to finish."
"Good. Then, as planned, you will follow them and head to the site… Based on my assessment, Lake Gallard is bound to get caught up in some kind of trouble over there. Record how he handles it."
"Understood."
With that, Anna vanished in an instant.
She truly has an uncanny ability to fade into the background. It’s as if she was born for espionage.
"Well then… I’ll just wait and see what kind of person Lake Gallard becomes when he returns for the new semester."
If he proves himself "worthy"—then I will add him as a piece to my grand design.
Hehehe, I can hardly wait for summer break to end.
What do you think about this chapter?
